It all started way back with a game of poker. John’s Mum played poker every week with a group of friends and heard that one of her friends was selling her field. John had an idea to buy it. He and his young family lived in America and he wanted to come home to Skerries to build a home. His family had lived in Skerries for generations. He brought Michael up to the field and they both saw the vision. Michael’s family also were centuries in Skerries and he never knew this view of Skerries existed (apart from a glimpse from the top of the 33 bus). The view was closed off to the town. So, the plan at that time was to buy the field and see if they could build two homes and make the rest a public picnic park with a spectacular view. 

John went to the auction but the field was sold to someone else. That sale ultimately fell through and all of a sudden John and Michael owned a lovely field with a view. Ciara and I joined the boys at the field to celebrate, along with two friends, also home from America.   

We were being watched from behind the hedge. Little did we know that a devious and shady force was about to be unleashed into all our lives that would change all of our paths.

John and Ciara went back to America after a couple of years. They saw enough of the the begrudgery and its malignant influence on planning decisions. They didn’t know at the time but they must have foreseen,( just as in the game of poker), that the cards were marked by the dealer from the very beginning. Wikipedia tells us that cheating in poker can be done in many ways, “including collusion, sleight-of hand (such as bottom dealing or stacking the deck”). The same appears to apply to planning. John and Ciara thankfully have made a great life for their family back in America. 

Michael and I stayed. The field was sold last week by a receiver.